Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUJIC TIRADE
VOL. LXIV. No. 5
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York, Feb. 3, 1917
K
NOWLEDGE is power, provided it is accurate knowledge and is used properly. Accurate and
exhaustive knpwledge of a product and the means of its production commands the respect not only of
those to whom the product is being sold, but of competitors who realize the standing of the man who
b
knows.
One of the troubles of the piano business has been that a scientific, or even general mechanical knowledge of
the piano and player-piano and their construction has not been considered absolutely essential. Factory repre-
sentatives, and particularly tunervcan cite numerous instances where dealers even to-day display a woeful lack
of accurate knowledge regarding piano construction and the things that go to make a piano worth the money
asked for it.
It has been said that there is no business to-day that depends more upon the customer's confidence than that
of selling pianos and players. The average layman cannot be expected to be an expert on piano values. He
cannot be expected to have at his finger tips facts and figures that must be the result of long study. He must
of necessity take the dealer's word for the piano's Value and make his selection largely on the basis of general
appearance and tone quality.
If the dealer or salesman does not possess an accurate knowledge of pianos how can he properly advise
the customer? The retailer can, of course, pass along the claims and assertions that have been made to him
when he purchased the instrument from the factory, and", if he is that sort of a dealer, add a lot of claims of
his own that may or may riot be based on facts, but the member of the trade who actively engages in handling
pianos in any capacity, should not be forced to admit that he depends upon the knowledge of others in the
selection and sale of the stock.
From the customer's viewpoint, moreover, every purchaser likes to do business with the salesman who
displays a knowledge of the details of the product he is selling. Some of these details will be apparent to
the customer, and he will appreciate that what the salesman tells him is not simply parrot talk, but that the
salesman knows, and knowing, can give better attention to the purchaser's requirements.
The coming of the player has offered a new problem for the salesman. In the old days he could open
up the top of the piano, remove the upper panel, and see just how the action worked. With a fair knowledge
of piano construction he could explain the various functions of the action parts, the construction of the plate
and back, etc.
The complex mechanism of the player, however, is out of sight of the customer. He knows that when he
pushes the pedals something happens, but the why and the wherefore is a deep mastery. In fact a great majority
of laymen believe to this day that the operator pumps air into the player instead of out of it.
*
The salesman who "stalls" and speaks of pneumatics, governors and five and six point motors without
knowing what he is talking about impresses the purchaser with the idea that the player is far too complex for
the average man to attempt to handle. If the man who sells dozens of them does not know about its
what chance has the man who buys one to keep out of trouble?
Players have been so simplified; there has been so much written about the details of their constructi?>n'>so
much talk about them, and there are so many opportunities offered for a direct study of the mechanism, tfrajpthe
salesman who must depend for business upon his gift of gab instead of an accurate knowledge, suffers a'^fuine
handicap.
•
V"
If the salesman becomes a dealer he owes it to himself to know all about the product he is handling—not
just how much it costs—how much he can sell it for and how long he can keep the manufacturer waiting for his
payments—but just what its intrinsic worth is.
•• T '\2. i
(Continued on page 5)
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